Post by spence on Apr 28, 2020 22:16:58 GMT -7
The old people didn't understand what was happening with yeast, but they knew how to use it, and how to provide themselves with a reliable constant supply.
From A New System of Domestic Cookery, Maria Rundell, 1806:
"To Make Yeast
Thicken two quarts of water with fine flour, about three spoonfuls; boil half an hour, sweeten with near half a pound of brown sugar; when near cold put into it four spoonfuls of fresh yeast in a jug, shake it well together and let it stand one day to ferment near the fire without being covered. There will be a thin liquor on the top, which must be poured off; shake the remainder and cork it up for use. Take always four spoonfuls of the old to ferment the next quantity, keeping it always in succession.
A half-peck loaf will require about a gill."
A liquid yeast starter? I just had to try this. She didn't say where she got the yeast to start her first batch, I assume it was barm from the local brewer, but I simply activated some modern active dry yeast an added it to the thickened and sweetened water. I followed her directions as well as I could, but cut the recipe down to 1/8th the original, and after a few days wound up baking a sourdough pizza crust and then a mini-loaf of sourdough bread. Maria knew whereof she spoketh.
I'm going to keep it going for a while, gives me something really old-timey to do while locked securely down.
Wash your hands
Spence
From A New System of Domestic Cookery, Maria Rundell, 1806:
"To Make Yeast
Thicken two quarts of water with fine flour, about three spoonfuls; boil half an hour, sweeten with near half a pound of brown sugar; when near cold put into it four spoonfuls of fresh yeast in a jug, shake it well together and let it stand one day to ferment near the fire without being covered. There will be a thin liquor on the top, which must be poured off; shake the remainder and cork it up for use. Take always four spoonfuls of the old to ferment the next quantity, keeping it always in succession.
A half-peck loaf will require about a gill."
A liquid yeast starter? I just had to try this. She didn't say where she got the yeast to start her first batch, I assume it was barm from the local brewer, but I simply activated some modern active dry yeast an added it to the thickened and sweetened water. I followed her directions as well as I could, but cut the recipe down to 1/8th the original, and after a few days wound up baking a sourdough pizza crust and then a mini-loaf of sourdough bread. Maria knew whereof she spoketh.
I'm going to keep it going for a while, gives me something really old-timey to do while locked securely down.
Wash your hands
Spence
